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Life-changing books: One, Two, Three… Infinity

By Sean Carroll, theoretical physicist

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I am one of those lucky people who figured out what they wanted to do by age 10. But how could such a young child hit upon theoretical physics and cosmology? By reading the right books, especially George Gamow’s 1947 classic, One, Two, Three Infinity.

Gamow was first to explain alpha decay, helped develop big bang theory, and later turned to molecular biology. But his enduring contribution is a series of popular books, illustrated by his whimsical drawings. Sadly, they don’t make them like that any more. His book opens with pure mathematics, including an explanation of transfinite numbers as clear as you can find anywhere.

Then comes relativity, quantum mechanics, atomic physics, and so on, all explained using high-school equations no modern publisher would risk. Gamow sets an impossible standard&colon; delving seriously into cutting-edge ideas while respecting the reader’s intelligence and keeping it entertaining. I can’t have been the only one whose trajectory was powerfully affected.